Lay Me Down
by Swords and Spells
Summary: A song fic set to one of the best rallying songs ever Sgt. McKenzie. Good song it was on the soundtrack to "We Were Soldiers"
1. Original version

Original Scottish version

Harry strained his neck listening to the wind, in the far far distance he could almost swear he could hear a bagpipe playing. The sound rolling over the hills of the highlands, and brought to him by the wind. When he thought about it he realized it was poetically just, that someone might be playing him his own funeral dirge. He started to hum slowly with the solemn tune.

Lay me doon, in the caul caul groon  
Whaur afore, monie mair huv gaun   
Lay me doon, in the caul caul groon  
Whaur afore, monie mair huv gaun

They had taken everything from him. The death eaters and Tom Riddle had come like thieves in the night and taken everyone he cared for. They had killed them one at a time, till he was all that was left. He realized too late what his power was and by then it was gone. His love for his friends and family… 'family,' that word had taken on so much of a meaning he realized too late that they were all his family. One by one they had come into his life and he had added them to his heart without even conscious thought. Hagrid, Dumbledore, Sirius, Lupin, Hermione, the Weasleys, Neville, Luna. All gone now. Taken by that mad man and his bigots.

When they come, a wull staun ma groon  
Staun ma groon, al nae be afraid

But it would end here. Where it had all started. Hogwarts. He knew they were coming, he didn't care he was tired of running. He wouldn't hide anymore. He was no longer afraid, because there was no longer anything to lose. He would kill them all or die trying….he didn't try to fool himself, there was no way he could live through this, but he would meet his family on the other side with a smile on his face knowing that he had sent so many of those bastards to the other side.

Thoughts awe hame, tak awa ma fear  
Sweat an bluid, hide ma veil awe tears 

Home… another word that had taken on new meaning. Home was where your family was. His home had been many places, here at Hogwarts his first home, the Burrow his favorite home, good ole' number 12 with Sirius, it hadn't lasted long but for a short time he thought he knew what having a father was like. He smiled. They would be waiting for him.

Ains a year, say a prayer faur me  
Close yir een, an remember me

They were coming. He knew, the same way he knew after everyone of his family members had died…Tom was happy. He could feel it in his scar, Tom thought he had trapped him. HA! 'Just you wait you son of a bitch.' There was no trap save the one Harry had lain down. He leaned back on the steps of his first home, and strained again to hear the music. It was still there slowly building as if someone knew what was going to happen. Tom was coming. 'Well, better lay down the welcome mat.' he thought idly. He could see the army in black crossing the old ward line. It was almost time.

Nair mair, shall a see the sun  
For a fell, tae a Germans gun

Harry had spent the entire rest of the Potter fortune to make sure it all ended here. He looked down at his side where there was an old brown wooden box with a handle sticking out of the top. 'Something so simple he thought to himself, bet they weren't expecting this' he smiled a small smile at the irony.

Lay me doon, in the caul caul groon  
Whaur afore, monie mair huv gaun

A Swedish muggle chemist would help Harry with his final act in this war. The chemist in question Harry could remember him from muggle grade school when he had read a book on the Nobel Prize and found out that Alfred Nobel did more than just make a prize.

Lay me doon, in the caul caul groon  
Whaur afore, monie mair huv gaun

He knew he would have to be here up front and center to get them all in one place. He knew Tom would make sure that they were all here to see his great victory over Harry Potter. He didn't even have his wand anymore, Tom had taken it as a trophy after he had beaten Harry in a duel, Harry having narrowly escaped. Tom came closer feeling confident that Harry was no longer a threat. He came to a halt at the foot of the steps of Hogwarts, or what was left of Hogwarts. He opened his mouth to start his final victory gloat when Harry just smiled at him. The last thought that Tom ever had was 'Why is he smiling?' And Harry's last thought as he pushed down on the wooden handle was 'I'm going home.'

Whaur afore, monie mair huv gaun.

It was odd, the silence that reigned on what was once the front lawns of Hogwarts. Odd because only moments before there was no silence as the dynamite made short work of ending the war. The muggles could see the blast from space and hear it for a hundred miles in any direction. It was amazing how much dynamite you could get for a fortune. But now there was only silence where once was sound. But wait what's that… if you strain you can hear it… far far in the distance a lonely bagpipe says goodbye to a hero… almost as if the highlands themselves are saying "You will not be forgotten."


	2. English version

Modern English version

Harry strained his neck listening to the wind, in the far far distance he could almost swear he could hear a bagpipe playing. The sound rolling over the hills of the highlands, and brought to him by the wind. When he thought about it he realized it was poetically just, that someone might be playing him his own funeral dirge. He started to hum slowly with the solemn tune.

Lay me down in the cold cold ground  
Where before many more have gone   
Lay me down in the cold cold ground  
Where before many more have gone

They had taken everything from him. The death eaters and Tom Riddle had come like thieves in the night and taken everyone he cared for. They had killed them one at a time, till he was all that was left. He realized too late what his power was and by then it was gone. His love for his friends and family… 'family,' that word had taken on so much of a meaning he realized too late that they were all his family. One by one they had come into his life and he had added them to his heart without even conscious thought. Hagrid, Dumbledore, Sirius, Lupin, Hermione, the Weasleys, Neville, Luna. All gone now. Taken by that mad man and his bigots.

When they come I will stand my ground  
Stand my ground I'll not be afraid

But it would end here. Where it had all started. Hogwarts. He knew they were coming, he didn't care he was tired of running. He wouldn't hide anymore. He was no longer afraid, because there was no longer anything to lose. He would kill them all or die trying….he didn't try to fool himself, there was no way he could live through this, but he would meet his family on the other side with a smile on his face knowing that he had sent so many of those bastards to the other side.

Thoughts of home take away my fear  
Sweat and blood hide my veil of tears

Home… another word that had taken on new meaning. Home was where your family was. His home had been many places, here at Hogwarts his first home, the Burrow his favorite home, good ole' number 12 with Sirius, it hadn't lasted long but for a short time he thought he knew what having a father was like. He smiled. They would be waiting for him.

Once a year say a prayer for me  
Close your eyes and remember me

They were coming. He knew, the same way he knew after everyone of his family members had died…Tom was happy. He could feel it in his scar, Tom thought he had trapped him. HA! 'Just you wait you son of a bitch.' There was no trap save the one Harry had lain down. He leaned back on the steps of his first home, and strained again to hear the music. It was still there slowly building as if someone knew what was going to happen. Tom was coming. 'Well, better lay down the welcome mat.' he thought idly. He could see the army in black crossing the old ward line. It was almost time.

Never more shall I see the sun  
For I fell to a Germans gun

Harry had spent the entire rest of the Potter fortune to make sure it all ended here. He looked down at his side where there was an old brown wooden box with a handle sticking out of the top. 'Something so simple he thought to himself, bet they weren't expecting this' he smiled a small smile at the irony.

Lay me down in the cold cold ground  
Where before many more have gone

A Swedish muggle chemist would help Harry with his final act in this war. The chemist in question Harry could remember him from muggle grade school when he had read a book on the Nobel Prize and found out that Alfred Nobel did more than just make a prize.

Lay me down in the cold cold ground  
Where before many more have gone

He knew he would have to be here up front and center to get them all in one place. He knew Tom would make sure that they were all here to see his great victory over Harry Potter. He didn't even have his wand anymore, Tom had taken it as a trophy after he had beaten Harry in a duel, Harry having narrowly escaped. Tom came closer feeling confident that Harry was no longer a threat. He came to a halt at the foot of the steps of Hogwarts, or what was left of Hogwarts. He opened his mouth to start his final victory gloat when Harry just smiled at him. The last thought that Tom ever had was 'Why is he smiling?' And Harry's last thought as he pushed down on the wooden handle was 'I'm going home.'

Where before many more have gone

It was odd, the silence that reigned on what was once the front lawns of Hogwarts. Odd because only moments before there was no silence as the dynamite made short work of ending the war. The muggles could see the blast from space and hear it for a hundred miles in any direction. It was amazing how much dynamite you could get for a fortune. But now there was only silence where once was sound. But wait what's that… if you strain you can hear it… far far in the distance a lonely bagpipe says goodbye to a hero… almost as if the highlands themselves are saying "You will not be forgotten."


End file.
